IQVIA (IQV) reports Q3 earnings: What key metrics have to say

For the quarter ended September 2025, IQVIA Holdings (IQV - Free Report) reported revenue of $4.1 billion, up 5.2% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $3.00, compared to $2.84 in the year-ago quarter.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.07 billion, representing a surprise of +0.86%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +1.35%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $2.96.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.

Here is how IQVIA performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Backlog: $32.40 billion compared to the $32.49 billion average estimate based on two analysts.

• Revenues- Technology & Analytics Solutions: $1.63 billion compared to the $1.66 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5% year over year.

• Revenues- Research & Development Solution: $2.26 billion versus $2.23 billion estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.5% change.

• Revenues- Contract Sales & Medical Solutions: $209 million compared to the $180.27 million average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +16.1% year over year.

• Segment Profit- Technology & Analytics Solution: $370 million compared to the $412.55 million average estimate based on two analysts.

• Segment Profit- Contract Sales & Medical Solutions: $13 million versus $0.84 million estimated by two analysts on average.

• Segment Profit- Research & Development Solutions: $496 million versus $495.9 million estimated by two analysts on average.

Shares of IQVIA have returned +20.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +3.6% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

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